Conyers Starts Legal Expense Trust To Pay Legal Fees

A Congressman, who had trouble getting on the primary election ballot, has set up a legal expense trust to solicit funds to pay his legal fees.

Rep. John Conyers , D-Mich., has registered his Conyers 13th District Legal Expense Trust with the Internal Revenue Service as a Section 527 political organization. The Trust is based in Washington, D.C. and was filed on May 30th by treasurer Amy Gilbert. The stated purpose is "To defray legal fees and other expenses..."

County and Michigan state officials had ruled Conyers did not have enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but U.S. District Judge Matthew Leitman reversed the decision and insisted Conyers be placed on the ballot.

Conyers campaign committee reported it had $112,003 cash on hand as of March 31st. The Conyers for Congress committee had paid $3,000 to Skip Mongo and $8,500 to Ronin America for "petition signature collection services."

His leadership PAC, America Forward Leadership PAC reported having $24,824 cash on hand as of March 31st.

Conyers is the second longest-serving incumbent member of the House of Representatives, after Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich.